Founding UK Lab & Operations Lead

Adaptyv; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Adaptyv is expanding from Switzerland to the UK and opening a London lab in 2026 to become a hub for the UK protein-engineering ecosystem, enabling biotech companies and researchers to access high-throughput production and characterization for partners such as Anthropic and Boltz.

We are hiring a founding operator to own Adaptyv UK end to end — establish the company, open the lab, hire the first team, and run the business day to day with Lausanne’s blueprint.

Qualifications

• You have built something from zero before.
• You are an exceptional generalist.
• You get things over the line.
• You operate with a high degree of ownership.
• You have a strong life-sciences background.
• You use AI as part of how you work.
• You are in London.

Responsibilities

• Build the London lab. Take the site from lease to an operational lab: fit-out, contractors, equipment, suppliers, permits, timelines, and budget.
• Build the founding UK team. Hire across lab operations, automation, and science with the founders.
• Set up and run Adaptyv UK. Own the UK entity, banking, accounting, payroll, insurance, budgeting, contracts, and operational machinery.
• Own the local customer experience. Work with UK customers from onboarding through experiment delivery, coordinating with Lausanne teams.
• Build the local network. Develop relationships with landlords, contractors, vendors, universities, biotechs, partners, and the broader London life-science ecosystem.

Skills

Generalist mindset

Ownership & delivery

AI tooling experience

London resident or willing to relocate

Education

Life sciences degree

Job description

Adaptyv is expanding from Switzerland to the UK and opening a London lab in 2026 to become a hub for the UK protein-engineering ecosystem, enabling biotech companies and researchers to access high-throughput production and characterization for partners such as Anthropic and Boltz.

We are hiring a founding operator to own Adaptyv UK end to end — establish the company, open the lab, hire the first team, and run the business day to day with Lausanne’s blueprint.